Embroidered patch and manufacturing method for same

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to exemplary embroidered patches, and more particularly to a method of manufacture of embroidered patches using thermoplastic sheets having heat activated adhesives and embroidered patches containing such thermoplastic sheets. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention an embroidered patch is provided that may include an embroidered design having a two dimensional shape, a front side and a supporting side, and a sheet material positioned between the front side and the supporting side of the embroidered design. In accordance with this aspect of the present invention, the sheet material may have substantially the same two dimensional shape as the embroidered design.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Appl. No. 62/446,950 filed Jan. 17, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to embroidered patches, and more particularly to a method of manufacture of embroidered patches using thermoplastic sheets having heat activated adhesives and embroidered patches containing such thermoplastic sheets.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to manufacturing embroidered patches, and such embroidered patches for application to apparel. The present invention improves the performance, durability and appearance by embroidering onto a thermoplastic sheet having a heat activated adhesive instead of other standard materials such as a woven fabric, non-woven fabric or EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate).

In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the thermoplastic sheet with adhesive is installed in a common machine embroidery hoop resulting in thermoplastic sheet being “hooped.” An embroidery machine is used to embroider an embroidered design with thread onto the thermoplastic sheet supported by the embroidery hoop. The completed embroidered design is removed from the embroidery hoop, and the result is a finished design on a top surface of the thermoplastic sheet and supported by thermoplastic sheet. The back of the embroidered design are the supporting threads positioned on the back surface of the thermoplastic sheet. The embroidered design is removed from the remainder of thermoplastic sheet that extends beyond the perimeter of embroidered design using either a cutting implement, such as a pair of scissors, or by tearing the thermoplastic sheet at the perimeter of the embroidered design. The result is an embroidered design having the thermoplastic sheet with heat activated adhesive on the interior, design on the front and supporting thread on the back. The interior of the front of the embroidered design is adhered to the interior of the back of the embroidered design by the thermoplastic sheet with adhesive. The embroidered design is then assembled on the garment. This is accomplished by using another piece of thermoplastic sheet with heat activated adhesive, cutting an outline of the embroidered design, combining the two with the embroidered design on top, and positioning the combination on a garment. The combination of the embroidered design and thermoplastic sheet with heat activated adhesive forms an assembled embroidered patch that is then attached to the garment using a heat press by positioning the garment on the bottom, thermoplastic sheet with heat activated adhesive in the middle, and the embroidered design on top. The heat press activates the adhesive on the thermoplastic sheet in the interior of the embroidered design and the adhesive on the thermoplastic sheet that has been positioned between the embroidered design and the garment simultaneously.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a decorated garment with an embroidered patch attached to the garment with an adhesive.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an embroidered patch that has no embroidery backing or stitching extending into the interior of the garment in order to provide a better appearance for the garment and/or a better feel against the skin of a user.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an embroidered patch and method of manufacture of the embroidered patch that prevents the fabric of a garment from puckering that may occur with many light weight sports fabrics, for example polyester, polypropylene or other fabrics contain blends thereof, when conventional embroidery techniques are employed.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an embroidered patch that allows for increased production, for example if four designs are embroidered per hoop on a six headed embroidery machine, then twenty four designs can be produced per production run.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an embroidered patch that may use heat activated adhesive on the thermoplastic sheet in order to add durability, prevent movement of the threads in the future and prevent fraying by attaching the interior of the front of the embroidered patch to the interior of the rear of the embroidered patch.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an embroidered patch that may be applied to any location of a garment, for example, the embroidered patch may be applied on top of the fabric to any location on shirts, jackets, vests, pants, shorts or skirts, contrary to conventional embroidery techniques that may be limited by hoop sizes and access to internal layers of garments.

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention an embroidered patch is provided that may include an embroidered design having a two dimensional shape, a front side and a supporting side, and a sheet material positioned between the front side and the supporting side of the embroidered design.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the sheet material may have substantially the same two dimensional shape as the embroidered design.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the embroidered patch may also include a backing sheet positioned on the supporting side of the embroidered design.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the backing sheet may have substantially the same two dimensional shape as the embroidered design.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the front side may be made of one or more threads that are positioned to create the two dimensional shape of the embroidered design.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the supporting side may be made of one or more threads that are positioned to create the two dimensional shape of the embroidered design.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the front side may be made of one or more threads that pass through the sheet material and extend to the supporting side.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the supporting side may be made of one or more threads that pass through the sheet material and extend to the front side.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the sheet material may be a thermoplastic.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the sheet material may be a thermoplastic adhesive sheet.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the sheet material may include an adhesive.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the front side may include one or more threads and the supporting side may include one or more threads, and the threads of the front side and the threads of the supporting side are bound together with the adhesive.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the backing sheet may be a thermoplastic.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the backing sheet may be a thermoplastic adhesive sheet.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the backing sheet may include an adhesive.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the backing sheet may be configured to adhere the embroidered patch to a garment.

In accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of manufacturing an embroidered patch is provided that may include the steps of creating an embroidered design having a two dimensional shape, a front side and a supporting side on a sheet material by extending one or more threads from the front side through the sheet material to the supporting side, removing the two dimensional shape of the embroidered design from the sheet material, and an affixing the embroidered design to a backing sheet.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the sheet material may be a thermoplastic.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the sheet material may be a thermoplastic adhesive sheet.

In accordance with this or other exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the sheet material may include an adhesive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature and object of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram showing the installation of an exemplary sheet in an exemplary embroidery hoop according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 a perspective view of the combination of the exemplary sheet installed in the exemplary embroidery hoop according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 a perspective view of an exemplary design embroidered upon the exemplary sheet by an exemplary embroidery machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a front perspective view of the exemplary design embroidered upon the exemplary sheet according to the present invention;

FIG. 4B is a back perspective view of the exemplary design embroidered upon the exemplary sheet according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing removal of the exemplary design from the remainder of the exemplary sheet according to the present invention;

FIG. 6A is a front view of the exemplary embroidered design according to the present invention;

FIG. 6B is back view of the exemplary embroidered design according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary embroidered design according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view of another exemplary sheet for use with the exemplary embroidered design according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is sequence diagram showing the outline of the exemplary embroidered design being removed from the other exemplary sheet from FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of an exemplary embroidered patch formed from the combination of the exemplary embroidered design and the outline of the exemplary embroidered design removed from the other exemplary sheet of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is top plan view of an exemplary garment having the exemplary embroidered patch disposed thereon according to the present invention;

FIG. 11A is a close-up exploded view of the exemplary embroidered patch from FIG. 11;

FIG. 12 is a side view of an exemplary heat press that may be used to install the exemplary embroidered patch onto the exemplary garment;

FIG. 13A is a top plan view of the exemplary garment having the exemplary embroidered patch disposed thereon according to the present invention;

FIG. 13B is a top plan view of the exemplary garment having the exemplary embroidered patch disclosed thereon demonstrating an interior portion of the garment;

FIG. 14A is a top plan view of the exemplary garment having the exemplary embroidered patch disposed thereon according to the present invention;

FIG. 14B is a top plan view of the exemplary garment having the exemplary embroidered patch disposed thereon according to the present invention;

FIG. 14C is a top plan view of the exemplary garment having the exemplary embroidered patch disposed thereon according to the present invention;

FIG. 14D is a top plan view of the exemplary garment having the exemplary embroidered patch disposed thereon according to the present invention;

FIG. 14E is a top plan view of the exemplary garment having the exemplary embroidered patch disposed thereon according to the present invention;

FIG. 14F is a top plan view of the exemplary garment having the exemplary embroidered patch disposed thereon according to the present invention; and

FIG. 14G is a top plan view of the exemplary garment having the exemplary embroidered patch disposed thereon according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Referring now to FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7, 10 and 11, an exemplary embroidered patch 130 and components thereof according to the present invention are therein illustrated. The embroidered patch 130 according to the present invention may be composed of an embroidered design 30 and a correspondingly shaped backing sheet 115. The backing sheet 115 may be an adhesive thermoplastic sheet, such as a thermoplastic sheet with heat activated adhesive or the thermoplastic sheet itself may be capable of adhering to surfaces with the application of heat, for example as a result of at least partial melting of the thermoplastic sheet on the surface followed by cooling. It is understood that an separate non-heat activated adhesive may be applied to the backing sheet 115 in order to adhere the backing sheet 115 to the embroidered design 30, and that the present invention is not limited to the particular adhesive mechanism. The backing sheet 115 may have substantially the same shape, configuration and/or design of the embroidered design 30, but it is understood that is not necessary for the purposes of the present invention for the backing sheet 115 to have exactly the same shape, configuration and/or design as the embroidered design 30, and the present invention contemplates exemplary uses of the embroidered patch 130 in which it may be desirable for the backing sheet 115 to have a different shape, configuration and/or design as to the embroidered design 30.

The embroidered design 30 is illustrated more particularly in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 7. The embroidered design 30 may include a front side 32 that is formed from one or more threads to create a particular pattern, design, insignia, shape, letter, numeral, logo, configuration or the like. The embroidered design 30 may also include a supporting side 34 that includes one or more supporting threads and substantially corresponds to the front side 32 of the embroidered design 30 in terms of its pattern, design, insignia, shape, letter, numeral, logo and/or configuration. It is understood that the supporting threads forming the supporting side 34 and the threads forming the front side 32 may be the same threads. Positioned between the front side 32 and the supporting side 34 may be a sheet material 10 that is attached to the front side 32 and the supporting side 34. While the front side 32 and the supporting side 34 may be positioned such that the sheet material 10 is positioned substantially between each side, it is understood that the sheet material 10 may not completely separate each side from the other, and that threads from one side may pass through the sheet material 10 and form part of the other side and vice versa. Preferably, the sheet material 10 may be a heat sensitive sheet, for example a thermoplastic sheet, or a sheet having an adhesive deposed thereon, for example an adhesive thermoplastic sheet, that acts to bind the threads of the front side 32 to the threads of the supporting side 34 when the adhesive is activated, for example by heat, and/or curing of the adhesive through other means, such as moisture activated adhesive or UV activated adhesive. For example, the embroidered design 30 may include heat activated adhesive or the like on the sheet material in order to add durability, prevent movement of the threads in the future and prevent fraying by attaching the interior of the front side 32 to the interior of the supporting side 34 of the embroidered design 30.

As shown in particular detail in FIGS. 10 and 11, the embroidered design 30 may be applied and/or mounted onto the backing sheet 115. The backing sheet 115 itself may be an adhesive sheet, for example a thermoplastic sheet having an adhesive, or an adhesive may be applied between the backing sheet 115 and the embroidered design 30 to affix the embroidered design 30 to the backing sheet 115. The backing surface 34 of the embroidered design 30 may be applied to either side of the backing sheet 115, or whichever side of the backing sheet 115 contains the appropriate adhesive. It is also understood that the embroidered design 30 may be affixed to the backing sheet 115 when the two components of the embroidered patch 130 are applied to a garment 200, as shown for example in FIG. 11. For example, the backing sheet 115, whether through adhesive or application of heat may be configured to attach to both the embroidered design 30 and a suitable location on the garment 200. In this exemplary manner, the embroidered patch 130 may be formed at the same time that the embroidered patch 130 is applied to the garment 200.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, 5 and 8-12, exemplary steps of a method for producing and/or manufacturing the embroidered patch 130 and application of the embroidered patch 130 to the exemplary garment 200 are shown. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sheet material 10 is installed on an exemplary embroidery hoop 20 so that the sheet material 10 is “hooped.” As shown in FIG. 3, the method of producing the embroidered patch 130 may include a step of using an embroidery machine 40 to embroider the embroidered design 30 onto the sheet material 10, preferably through the use of a thread that may be comprised of any suitable embroidery material. It is understood that while a single embroidered design 30 is shown in FIG. 3, any suitable number of embroidered designs 30 may be produced on the hooped sheet material 10. For example, if four embroidered designs 30 are embroidered per hoop on a 6-headed embroidery machine 40, then 24 embroidered designs 30 can be produced per production run. As demonstrated by FIG. 5, the embroidered design 30 may be removed from the remainder of the sheet material 10 by cutting or tearing the sheet material 10 around the embroidered design 30. While an exemplary pair of scissors is shown, it is understood that the embroidered design 30 may be removed from the sheet material 10 by any suitable manual, automated and/or machine operated cutting, tearing and/or punching mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 8-10, the backing sheet 115 may be produced from another sheet material 110, which may also be a thermoplastic adhesive material or the like. The backing sheet 115 is removed from the remainder of the sheet material 110 by cutting or tearing the sheet material 110 around the backing sheet 115. While an exemplary pair of scissors is shown, it is understood that the backing sheet 115 may be removed from the sheet material 110 by any suitable manual, automated and/or machine operated cutting, tearing and/or punching mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the embroidered design 30 and backing sheet 115 may be applied to the garment 200 through use of a heat press 217, or other suitable mechanism, in order to produce the embroidered patch 130, which is affixed to the garment 200. As discussed above, it is understood that the embroidered patch 130 may be created prior to its affixation upon the garment 200, in other words the present invention is not limited to whether creation of the embroidered patch 130 and affixation of the embroidered patch 130 to the garment occurs in a single step or one or more steps.

Referring now to FIGS. 13A and 13B, an exemplary advantage of the embroidered patch 130 and method of manufacture of the embroidered patch 130 is illustrated. As shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B, the embroidered patch 130 does not produce any backing on the inside of the garment 200. This provides for a better appearance and a better feel of the garment 200 against the skin or other garment layers (not shown) of a user (not shown).

Referring to FIGS. 14A-14G, a variety of different garments that may be used in connection with the embroidered patch 130 and the method of manufacturing the embroidered patch 130 are shown. The embroidered patch 130 may be applied to any location of a garment, and exemplary garments include, but are not limited to, shirts, jackets, vests, pants, shorts or skirts.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above article without departing from the scope of this invention, it is intended that all matter contained in this disclosure or shown in the accompanying drawings, shall be interpreted, as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is to be understood that all of the present figures, and the accompanying narrative discussions of corresponding embodiments, do not purport to be completely rigorous treatments of the invention under consideration. It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An embroidered patch, comprising: an embroidered design having a two dimensional shape, a front side and a supporting side; and a sheet material positioned between the front side and the supporting side of the embroidered design; wherein the sheet material has substantially the same two dimensional shape as the embroidered design.
 2. The embroidered patch according to claim 1, further comprising a backing sheet positioned on the supporting side of the embroidered design.
 3. The embroidered patch according to claim 2, wherein the backing sheet has substantially the same two dimensional shape as the embroidered design.
 4. The embroidered patch according to claim 1, wherein the front side is comprised of one or more threads that are positioned to create the two dimensional shape of the embroidered design.
 5. The embroidered patch according to claim 1, wherein the supporting side is comprised of one or more threads that are positioned to create the two dimensional shape of the embroidered design.
 6. The embroidered patch according to claim 1, wherein the front side is comprised of one or more threads that pass through the sheet material and extend to the supporting side.
 7. The embroidered patch according to claim 1, wherein the supporting side is comprised of one or more threads that pass through the sheet material and extend to the front side.
 8. The embroidered patch according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material is a thermoplastic.
 9. The embroidered patch according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material is a thermoplastic adhesive sheet.
 10. The embroidered patch according to claim 1, wherein the sheet material comprises an adhesive.
 11. The embroidered patch according to claim 10, wherein the front side comprises one or more threads and the supporting side comprises one or more threads, and wherein the threads of the front side and the threads of the supporting side are bound together with the adhesive.
 12. The embroidered patch according to claim 2, wherein the backing sheet is a thermoplastic.
 13. The embroidered patch according to claim 2, wherein the backing sheet is a thermoplastic adhesive sheet.
 14. The embroidered patch according to claim 2, wherein the backing sheet comprises an adhesive.
 15. The embroidered patch according to claim 2, wherein the backing sheet is configured to adhere the embroidered patch to a garment.
 16. A method of manufacturing an embroidered patch, comprising: creating an embroidered design having a two dimensional shape, a front side and a supporting side on a sheet material by extending one or more threads from the front side through the sheet material to the supporting side, removing the two dimensional shape of the embroidered design from the sheet material, and an affixing the embroidered design to a backing sheet.
 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sheet material is a thermoplastic.
 18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sheet material is a thermoplastic adhesive sheet.
 19. The method according to claim 16, wherein the sheet material comprises an adhesive. 